You have two options when you sign up for Project Fi. You can buy a SIM card with a new Nexus 6. Or you can just buy the SIM card and stick it in your own Nexus 6. Want to use another phone? You can, as long as you tether it to a Nexus 6. A Project Fi SIM has to go into a Nexus 6.

For the time being, that eliminates a sizable chunk of interested consumers. Project Fi is relatively cheap, but the Nexus 6 is not. The latter is also a pretty girthy device to choose as your one-size-fits-all solution.

But it looks like Google is rewarding those customers who chose to take the plunge with Project Fi regardless, specifically those who didn't already have a Nexus 6. One customer has posted a series of photos to Imgur showing that, in addition to a Nexus 6 and SIM card, the box came with a pair of earbuds, a case, and a 6000mAh external battery pack.

Comments

Sreedhar Siliveri

"Want to use another phone? You can, as long as you tether it to a Nexus 6." Can anyone throw some light on this statement. I have received the invite, but not interested to upgrade to Nexus 6 from my OnePlus. My OnePlus still looks new. I am in Atlanta and really looking forward to Google Fiber and Project Fi, but not when "strings attached".

Max

Project Fi currently can only work with Nexus 6 because it's the only available phone with a special firmware and sufficient bands that allows it to hop between Wi-Fi/Sprint/T-Mobile as required to work.

Sure - Project Fi requires a special SIM card in order to be compatible with multiple networks at the same time, as such it also requires a special SIM card reader. Google also says the Nexus 6 has a specially tuned radio, but it seems like they just mean it supports many different wireless bands.

I only sought to make the distinction because lots of phones supports lots of wireless frequency bands and any phone can (theoretically) get a firmware update. Phones will have to be manufactured with the special SIM card reader in order to work with Fi for the foreseeable future.

the sim card is no special per se..
it can be read by any simcard reader slot...
but the Band part of the hardware is what transtlates the extra COMMANDs for the radios

and theoretically any phone with capable bands would be able to work on it with a firmware upgrade, but i believe only google nexus 6 has the FCC certifications to operate on all the bands at the same time. while others only certified for some bands for a specific carrier

Martin B.

I don't think, that special SIM card requires special SIM reader. I think, that they just use SIM card, which can be used to register in both CDMA and GSM networks. Same thing applies for radio/antennas. There are not so many phones, if any besides iPhone, which are compatible with all US carriers, without differencing CDMA and GSM (and also all LTE bands).

You missed option 3: you misunderstood. They're referring to the fact that it has a radio that can handle multiple network TYPES, which is to say both CDMA and GSM. Which was already implied by Max's statement, since Sprint is in CDMA and T-Mobile is on GSM. This is uncommon, but not unique to the 6. The 5 had this too.

Aldrin Tauro

Yeah, but you could never buy an unlocked iPhone and use it on Verizon or Sprint. That's possible with the Nexus 6 though.

Sure, but not especially relevant to the discussion. Although are you certain about that? It's the same hardware on all four. I know Verizon's notorious for refusing to activate devices that aren't in their whitelist, but Sprint's been much better about that.

Steven Massy

But those phones do not seamlessly transfer between wifi, tmobile and sprint while you are on a call.

Due to software, not hardware. That was my point. As the comments I was replying to have been deleted, you're missing context. Someone implied the Nexus 6 has special hardware that allows for this. It doesn't. But its custom version of Android does.

Serge Cebrian

nothing special about the Sim .. slot.. that is a standar that even apple uses i dont think google would change anything about it..

It most definitely is, per my other reply. Their radio simply covers both CDMA and GSM, plus all necessary bands. That's all they meant. Max used shorthand to simply say bands, as mentioning both Sprint and T-Mobile, which we know use different network types, implies that.

Got it. I'M the problem for pointing out that believing something directly contrary to all provided evidence, and taking up everyone else's time by commenting on that belief and asking others questions based on that belief that we're expected to answer as though the core belief isn't the actual problem, is rather illogical.

Also, replying to him exactly two times, one of which he chose not to respond to, is hardly "plenty of his time."

Dee Norbert

Well...

Q

No balls either.

vinas03

Sold my opo for the n6. It was a solid upgrade in every way, mostly because of project fi.

Tom

I ordered the SIM card kit to use with the Nexus 6 I already have, and the order includes the welcome kit. I'll find out tomorrow when it arrives if it is the kit described here.

So I signed up for project fi. I bought a mint condition n6 off someone, so I had marked that I already have the phone.

When I checked out, I had a "welcome kit" in my cart. When I checked the tracking, it lists the package as 2lbs. So I have to assume something other than the sim is coming. I should have the kit tomorrow (6/16)

humanee

did they end up sending you the kit or just the sim?

Chris VanAnden

They sent me the kit.

Raj Bhatt

Dude, I just want an invite. They can have my case, earbuds and an external battery if they would just freaking invite me.

Shamila Mutoni

I want as wellwell.

Andrew

They are sending them out if you just get a Sim card. I received a welcome kit today and only asked for the Sim since I already had a nexus y

I just called Fi support, having just signed up and requested a Nexus 6 last Friday. They affirmed that $150 credit would be applied to my Project Fi account in accordance with today's announced discount. You may want to call to be sure, but it seems like it was applied already even before I'd asked.

Shamila Mutoni

My screen broke for nexus 6 last week I need new one and in Thailand i cant find it.... Any help

when is google going to add new phones? the 6 is too large, and too expensive, considering its last years model. my nexus5 is starting to die [battery], and i would love to get another android phone without crapware. so i ask google gods, wheres the new g phone for $299, like my nex5 was when it first came out...

di5order

Does anyone know about the external battery? Like manufacturer or model? I've been looking for something like a battery case for my N6...

Geoff Kipps-Bolton

I've was thinking about buying a Nexus 6, then Project fi came along and the decision was made. I've applied for an invitation and now I'm watching my inbox. Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! :-D

vinas03

Those of you who were invited to fi and bought a nexus 6 will get the kit. All of you... If you got in to the early invite you'll be visited by santa fi after your return period is up. no coin toss here.

jkt1954

I just ordered and the welcome kit is coming, too.

Drew G. Hookway

I just got mine in the mail on Monday (8-3-2015). I bought my Nexus 6 right after getting the welcome kid and SIM card in the mail.

asdf

I brought the phone from google. its quite amazing. The welcome kit was really awesome too and it just looked really nice.

akash8mv

I bought Nexus 6 from Amazon but when I tried to register with Project Fi, for which I have the invite, Google didn't have the SIM card in stock. Is there any other place where I can get Project Fi SIM Card.